Waiting
by Winter-Rae
Summary: One way or the other Jericho was always the one left waiting. A one shot centered on Jericho and why he lives so far away on that mountain.


**Waiting**

**Title:** Waiting

**Summary: **One way or the other Jericho was always the one left waiting. A one shot centered on Jericho and why he lives so far away on that mountain.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Teen Titans

**Pairings: **slight Jericho/Raven if you look really hard

**Warnings: **slight angst

**Winter-Rae: **First we had Speedy, then Kyd Wykkyd and now we have Jericho. I'm on a roll with these. They are so much fun to write. Just so you know, that when one of the characters I write about has an actual background I read up on it so I can keep it as true as I can. So read on and enjoy!

_Italics-Sign Language_

* * *

**Waiting**

Jericho; the blonde haired green eyed mute was a mystery to everyone who knew him. True, the fact that he couldn't speak added to that mystery. But it was more the way that he lived in solitude on a high mountain and that he came out of no where to end up helping to stop the Brotherhood of evil. Yes, Jericho was a mystery, shrouded in an enigma, buried in a life filled with intrigue, or so everyone thought.

Jericho was the only one who knew why he lived up on that mountain, alone, and in solitude. It wasn't by choice, oh no, it was his father's idea. The man he really never had any contact with except in the brief times he would come to see how he was doing. These visits were more stressful then anything else. His father was not a loving man at all, more a man who would use whatever you had to offer and then toss you away like trash.

Trash was often how Jericho felt whenever his father would come to see him. The man would point out his faults and then proceed to tell him that there were so many other boys his age who would kill to be his son. This was something Jericho doubted very much as who would want a father that was unable to love and care for them? Then his father told him that he was looking for someone better than him to train as his own. Lies. Right?

He found out soon after that they were not lies. The old man really sought to replace him with other, more powerful beings. How could he do this to him? What would happen to him here alone on this mountain? Who would come to see him now? His father had replaced him, yes first by a Boy Wonder and soon after by a blonde haired earth controlling young woman. Yes, it was true his father was none other then Slade.

A name and person he once regarded with respect was now nothing more then a memory to him. Beast Boy came to see him now as often as he could. This was where he got most of his information from now. This was how he found out that his father was nearly responsible for the death of Raven and the destruction of the world. He knew his father was insane but he had no idea he was even capable of going that far.

No one knew he was Slade's son and he preferred to keep it that way. What would they think of or do to him if they found out about his heritage? Even though he renounced Slade as his father there was still the knowledge in the back of his mind that this mad man was indeed the one responsible for him living. However it was also because of him that Jericho could no longer speak.

Jericho was only 7 when he lost his ability to speak. His father had crossed the wrong people as a younger man and had resulted in him getting kidnapped. While he waited for someone, anyone to come and save him, he found out that his father didn't care. As he didn't give the man what he wanted. That was when Jericho first started to feel as if he was only something Slade wanted to be rid of.

His father did save him in the end but not before one of the head kidnapper's buddies dragged a blade across his throat. He did it slowly too and the pain was immense. Jericho wanted to cry out but couldn't as his vocal cords were now severed and mangled. His father had killed the ones responsible first and then ran to his side. Jericho's hands were around his own throat trying to stop the bleeding, there was so much blood then dark.

When Jericho woke he was in a white room with a doctor looking down on him and his father speaking to him. Jericho tried to make a noise but nothing came. His father looked down at him and frowned. Jericho had never felt so small in his life. That frown conveyed so much to the young boy; shame, disappointment, anger and even hatred. How could a man hate his own son, it wasn't his fault that he was taken and hurt this way.

It was a few years after that that his father brought him to the mountain. He was about 9 at the time when his father took him on a jet which landed at the top of the mountain. Jericho was scared at first but soon his father, in a soft tone, which surprised him, started to explain to him what was happening. He told him that he was going to be busy for the next few years and that in order to make sure he was safe he had to stay here.

Jericho was so confused. Slade took the time to re-explain it. He said that the people he had been watching for some time now were about to come together and he had to prepare to 'test' them. He said that learning more about them might eventually help him find a way to help Jericho speak again. Jericho couldn't believe his ears. His father wanted to find a way to help him? Maybe he loved him after all.

He went on to say that he couldn't risk these people finding out about him because they might try to use Jericho against him. Jericho nodded in understanding. The last thing he wanted was to be a burden to his father, especially finding out that his father was going to be doing some dangerous things in order to help him. He watched as his father left him with some essentials and promised to come and see him soon. More lies.

Yet Jericho waited patiently for him. He taught himself how to play guitar which turned into his favourite hobby. He read all of the books his father left him; which were mostly epics or text books. He trained himself physically and mentally even tried to force himself to speak. All that he managed to do in this attempt was hurt his throat and tire himself out

The days turned into weeks, which turned to months, until nearly a year went by before his father came back to see him. He was different now; wearing an odd mostly black outfit with a mask. His father spoke to him briefly saying that his next visit would be sooner and that it was just taking him longer to prepare. Jericho had attempted to ask him about the odd powers he had been developing but Slade dismissed it, leaving soon after.

He waited again, getting impatient. He decided to take control and learn about his powers on his own. He soon discovered that he could possess living creatures; he scared a squirrel pretty bad after making eye contact with it. His body changed into an astral projection allowing him to take over the little animal. A lone mountain climber was Jericho's first human possession; it was weird but thrilling all the same.

On his father's next visit, a year later, Jericho managed to explain to him in writing about his ability. His father nodded in approval and seemed to be impressed that he had taught himself to control such a gift. Jericho soon started to wonder if the reason he was up on this mountain was only because of his father's missions or was it really because of his ability and maybe his father was scared of him.

Soon the visits stopped altogether. Jericho was 15 around the time when he was convinced something odd was happening with the world. Things grew dark, cold and barren. Even his home on the mountain could not escape it. In the back of his mind he wondered if this was at all his father's doing. Then in his heart of hearts he wondered if maybe his father was going to come back for him.

By 16 he was tired of the waiting. It was all he seemed to do anymore. Why was he the one always left behind? It wasn't fair in his mind, he had never done anything wrong in his life yet he was the one in a sort of prison. Yet it never occurred to him to leave the mountain, perhaps it was the fact that his father told him to wait here for him, perhaps it was fear of the unknown. Jericho wasn't even sure anymore.

Looking back Jericho was annoyed with his naïve nature. He always took his father at his word and look where it got him. Here he was stuck on the top of a mountain afraid to see the world below him because he wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe he was being punished for never being the son he was supposed to be. Or maybe he was never meant to be apart of the world, however something happened a year later which changed his mind.

* * *

He was playing his guitar one lovely afternoon when someone had climbed his mountain to see him. This was a surprise in itself as he never had visitors. The young man looked slightly like an animal but was funny. He had looked at Jericho and started yelling about the Brotherhood of Evil and that if he needed help all he had to do was call them on a communicator which he gave to him. Jericho patted his head as he knew he must be tired.

The young man, Beast Boy, didn't stay long but spoke briefly with him. As much as Jericho would have liked to question him about the odd sky and land a few years back Beast Boy seemed to be awfully distracted by something so he left it. He liked having Beast Boy's company; the green changeling was funny and upbeat. A nice change to the usual loneliness this place offered to him.

"So you live here alone?" he asked. Jericho offered a smile and nodded.

"Jeez that must be a drag," he went on, "You'll have to come and visit with us sometime, what do you say?"  
Jericho nodded again. Beast Boy raised an eyebrow and looked at him closely.

"You shy or something?" he asked, "Why don't you talk?"

Jericho swallowed and pulled down the collar of his white shirt. Beast Boy whistled at the sight of the ugly jagged scars that littered his pale throat. Jericho sighed and replaced his shirt.

"Sorry man," Beast Boy said, "Did that hurt?"

Jericho nodded.

"Man I can't believe you are here all alone!" Beast Boy said, "Hey once this stuff is all over with how about I come and visit you."

Jericho nodded; he would like that very much. Beast Boy grinned.

"Great," he said, "Well I gotta go for now. See you later Jericho and don't forget; if you need help we're only a call away."

Jericho nodded and waved to Beast Boy. He smiled, feeling truly happy for the first time in a long time.

* * *

He was surprised at how soon he did see Beast Boy after their meeting. Soon he, the changeling, Herald, Pantha and Mas were joining up to help the other Titans and stopping the Brotherhood of Evil. Jericho felt proud to finally be apart of something. Once the battle was over he got ready to leave to go back to his mountain but Robin had invited him and the others back to their tower for a huge BBQ. He didn't say no.

"Dude, why do you live so far away anyway!?" Beast Boy asked him after handing him a plate of food. Many of the others were also curious about him and looked his way after hearing the question. Jericho was blushing madly and had cast his glance down to try and avoid the question but it wasn't working very well. He sighed and shook his head at his friend. Beast Boy raised an eyebrow.

"Leave him alone Beast Boy."

Jericho looked up to see a pretty girl in a dark blue cloak walk over to them. She introduced herself as Raven. He offered her a grateful smile and took a bite out of the burger on his plate. He cringed at the awful taste of it. He dropped the plate and started to hack and cough.

"BB!" Cyborg yelled, "Did you give him some of that tofu crap?"

Raven patted on Jericho's back to help rid him of the food. Beast Boy laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry man," he said. Cyborg rolled his eyes and handed the quiet young man something else.

"Here," he said, "This is real food."

"Tofu is real food!" Beast Boy cried out. Jericho smiled and ate what Cyborg gave him without problem.

"Jericho, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Jericho turned and froze. The one standing before him was the one his father sought to replace him with; the Boy Wonder, Robin. He nodded and set his food down. He followed the leader of the Titans into another room. Robin looked at him carefully for a moment and sighed.

"I would have preferred this day to never come," he said, "Do you know sign language?"

Jericho nodded.

"Feel free to use it," Robin said, "I do understand it."

Jericho nodded.

"_How do you know me?"_

"When I was Slade's apprentice I hacked into some personal files and found out that he had a son he kept hidden on a mountain. I couldn't believe it at first but then after Slade nearly killed Raven I had to find out, to see if you were a threat."

"_I have never done anything wrong!"_

"I know that Jericho, he was the wrong one. Abandoning you there when you were just a kid, I can only imagine how lonely that was for you."

Jericho smiled and shrugged.

"_I got along fine; do you know where he is?"_

"He's dead."

"_Good."_

"What?"

"_I might have been his son but how could I ever care for someone who clearly never cared for me. I was on that mountain waiting for him to come and get me like he said he would. But he never came. I'm tired. Tired of waiting, tired of being in solitude, I'm 17 and still have never seen any place except for that mountain, this tower, and the Brotherhood's lair. What kind of life is that?"_

"Not a very good one I suppose," Robin said, "I'm sorry he did that too you."

"_He told me that he was going to replace me with you."_

Robin frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He's ruined a lot of lives," he said, "Mine, yours, Terra's. I can't say that I felt any remorse when he died."

Jericho nodded in agreement. He didn't miss his father now that he knew more about what he was doing. Why would he want to kill Raven? She seemed nice, quiet but nice. He was quiet too after all.

"Jericho?"  
The blonde looked at Robin.

"Would you like to stay here with us?" Robin asked, "As a member of our team?"

Jericho smiled but shook his head.

"_Thanks anyway Robin but you're only doing this because you feel bad about what my father was trying to do to me. I might never go back to that mountain but I do not want to be held down anymore. But if you ever need me you can always call."_

"Good to know Jericho and the same goes for you."

Jericho nodded.

"Any idea where you'll go?"

Jericho shook his head.

"_The world is pretty big and I haven't seen very much of it, no matter which way I go it'll be something new to me."_

Robin smiled and nodded.

"_I must thank you Robin, because of you and the others I don't have to wait around for him anymore. I don't have to wait only to hear more of his lies, I'm free."_

"You're welcome Jericho," Robin said with a smile, "I hope you find someplace where you find you can belong too. But if not there's always going to be a place here for you."

"_Thank you."_

"Will you at least spend the night?" Robin asked, "I owe you that much."

If Jericho could laugh he would have at that moment. So he opted for the next best thing. He smiled brightly and shook Robin's hand.

"_Yes, I will, just for the night though."_

Robin appeared to be thrilled.

"That's great," he said, "We'll get a room set up for you right away."

Jericho shrugged.

"_Take your time, I don't mind waiting."_

* * *

**Winter-Rae:** I like this one. It was fun to explore and combine Jericho from the comic and the cartoon. I hope I did justice to this awesome character. I want to name this series either 'A Titan's Lament' or 'A One Word One Shot' which refers to the title being only one word. True not all of the characters I did were one of the Teen Titans or even honorary Titans but hey it works. Who is next you ask? No idea. I was thinking Billy Numerous for some reason. Or even Mas or Menos; I would love to explore these two just on their own you know. Anyway if you read this and not the other two; _Touch_ and _Quiet_ check them out and review please. It makes me happy. Cheers! 


End file.
